Slotted steam distributor tube



Dec. 28, 1954 .1. R. GILLIS 2,698,201

SLOTTED STEAM DISTRIBUTORTUBE Filed Feb. 2, 195:5

V I N V EN TOR. Jkse fi ii. 61705 United States Patent SLOTTED STEAMDISTRIBUTOR TUBE Joseph R. Gillis, Kalamazoo, NliciL; Esther M. Gillis,administratrix of said Joseph R. Gillis, deceased Application February2, 1953, Serial No. 334,667

6 Claims. (Cl. 299132) This invention relates to improvements in slottedsteam distributor tube.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide structure for distributing or delivering steam inaccurately controllable amounts and evenly distributed over aconsiderable longitudinal distance.

Second, to provide a steam distributor tube of substantial length with aslot of accurately controllable dimension extending the full length ofthe tube.

Third, to provide means for controlling the width of a slot extendinglongitudinally of a tube which tube is subject to high temperature.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, ofwhich there is one sheet, illustrate a highly practical form of mydistributor tube.

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view through a series of mydistributor tubes mounted in a hood for drying ink.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal cross sectional viewthrough one of the distributor tubes and taken along the plane of theline 22 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view of one of thedistributor tubes and its connection to a manifold supply pipe.

My distributor tube is designed primarily for use in drying apparatusfor ink on newly printed webs of paper such as is described and claimedin greater detail in my copending application for Methods and Apparatusfor Drying Inks, Serial No. 701,851, filed October 7, 1946, now PatentNo. 2,627,667, issued February 10, 1953. A more or less conventionalview of the foregoing apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a chambered supporting platen 1 having aperforated upper surface 2 adapted to support a web 3 of freshly printedpaper. A source of vacuum 4 opens to the platen and functions to holdthe Web flat against the perforated surface 2. A drying hood 5positioned in closely spaced relationship over the web 3 is providedwith means for introducing superheated steam in closely spaced andevenly distributed relationship over the surface of the web. A suctionchamber 6 is positioned over the web at the rear end of the hood 5 wherethe web issues from the hood and is provided with a vacuum connection 7for drawing olf expanded steam and vaporized ink solvents. My abovecopending application emphasizes the desirability of discharging thesteam closely adjacent to the surface of the web and in an evenlydistributed manner over a substantial portion of the surface of the web.

The particular steam distributing apparatus illustrated includes asupply pipe 8 which opens to a superheater 9. The superheater 9 deliversto one or more manifolds 10 disposed longitudinally of the web and themanifold is connected to and supports a plurality of my steamdistributor tubes 11. The manifold 10 is illustrated as being ofcircular cross section with the several distributor tubes 11 seated innotches in the underside of the manifold and sealed thereto as bywelding at 12. Each tube has a port 13 opening into the manifold.

The tubes 11 are desirably of stainless steel material and are slottedlongitudinally throughout their length as at 14. Overlapping segmentaldiscs 15 are welded within the ends of the tubes to substantially closethe same whrle permitting expansion and contraction of the walls of thetube as will be described.

The opposite side walls of the tube are transversely drilled orapertured at longitudinally spaced points to receive a series oftransversely extending screws 16. The heads of the screws and the nuts17 are seated against spacer blocks 18 which have arcuate inner surfaces19 seating snugly against the curved side walls of the tube.

I have found that the foregoing construction permits the adjustment ofthe several nuts 17 and screws 16 to accurately hold the side walls ofthe tube so that the width of the slot 14 can be held within closelimits even when the tubes become heated with the superheated steampassing therethrough. In actual use of the tubes in the drying apparatusreferred to above, the width of the slot is adjusted to between .001 and.002 inch. This adjustment of the tubes and slots results in a deliveryof a thin continuous film of superheated steam completely along thelength of the tube and transversely across the web 3.

While the tube has been described in connection with its use in an inkdrying apparatus, it should be apparent that the tube is capable ofother uses wherever it is desired to distribute a thin controllablestream of a fluid medium. I therefore do not limit my invention to theparticular application of the tube illustrated and reserve all uses andmodifications of the tube as may fall within the scope of the followingclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Steam distributing apparatus comprising, a supply manifold, aplurality of distributor tubes connected to said manifold and extendingtransversely therefrom in spaced parallel relation, said tubes havingcontinuous circularly curved walls with a slot formed longitudinallytherein for the full length of the tubes, overlapping segmental endplates welded to the tubes within the ends of said tubes, a plurality ofadjusting screws extending diametrically through the side walls of saidtubes, and spacer blocks positioned around each end of said screws andhaving arcuate inner surfaces seating against the side walls of thetubes whereby the heads and nuts on the screws bear against fiatsurfaces to accurately control the width of said slot by adjustment ofthe screws.

2. Steam distributing apparatus comprising, a supply manifold, aplurality of distributor tubes connected to said manifold and extendingtransversely therefrom in spaced parallel relation, said tubes havingcontinuous curved walls with a slot formed longitudinally therein forthe full length of the tubes, overlapping segmental end plates welded tothe tubes within the ends of said tubes, a plurality of adjusting screwsextending diametrically through the side walls of said tubes, and spacerblocks positioned around each end of said screws and having arcuateinner surfaces seating against the side walls of the tubes whereby theheads and nuts on the screws bear against flat surfaces to accuratelycontrol the width of said slot by adjustment of the screws.

3. Fluid distributing apparatus comprising, a supply manifold, aplurality of distributor tubes connected to said manifold and extendingtherefrom in spaced parallel relation, said tubes having continuouscurved walls and having a slot formed longitudinally therein for thefull length of the tubes, means closing the ends of said tubes, aplurality of adjusting screws extending through the opposite 'side wallsof said tubes on each side of the slots therein, and spacer blockspositioned around each end of said screws and having inner surfacesseating against the side walls of the tubes whereby the heads and nutson the screws bear against flat surfaces to accurately control the widthof said slot by adjustment of the screws.

4. Fluid distributing apparatus comprising, a supply manifold, aplurality ofdistributor tubes connected to said manifold and extendingtherefrom in spaced parallel relation, said tubes having curved wallsand having a slot formed longitudinally therein for substantially thefull length of the tubes, means closing the ends of said tubes, aplurality of adjusting screws extending through the opposite side wallsof said tubes on each side of the slots therein, and spacer blockspositioned around each end of said screws and having inner surfacesseating against the side walls of the tube whereby the heads and nuts onthe 3 screws bear against flat surfaces to accurately control the Widthof said slot by adjustment of the screws.

5. A tube for distributing fluid mediums comprising, a cylindrical tubehaving an inlet in one portion of its wall, said tube being slottedlongitudinally throughout its length, means including overlappingsegmental plates secured in the ends of said tube to close the same,screws extending diametrically through said tube on opposite sides ofsaid slot, and spacer blocks positioned around said screws and havingarcuate inner surfaces engaging the outer surfaces of the tube wherebythe heads and nuts on said screws bear against fiat surfaces to controlthe width of said slot by adjustment of said screws.

6. A tube for distributing fluid mediums comprising, a

- cylindrical tube having an inlet in one portion of its Wall,

said tube being slotted longitudinally substantially through- ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date579,043 Cloudman Mar. 16, 1897 804,968 Miller Nov. 21, 1905 2,191,122Smelser Feb. 20, 1940

